FANTASY FOOTBALL FEEDING FRENZY: 2017 Team Defense and IDP (Recap)

AUTHOR’S NOTE: If you’ve been watching the news at all this week, you’ve no doubt seen the devastation wrought in Texas by Hurricane Harvey. Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has organized a fundraiser for the citizens of Houston and surrounding areas whose lives have been torn apart by Mother Nature.

Please — if you can, consider giving to this or another of the charitable organizations assisting those affected by this catastrophe.

This week is all about the defense. And while we’ll be touching on team defenses a bit (including the value of streaming them) this week is really for those hearty fantasy owners who have ditched team defense altogether for the added fun and excitement of Individual Defensive Players.

Whether it’s the defensive linemen, the linebackers or the defensive backs, we’ll be touching on all the big questions facing fantasy owners in 2017.

Will J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans return to his perch as the top defensive lineman (and overall IDP)? And if doesn’t, who will claim the spot?

Who were the winners of starting jobs in the NFL’s more unsettled linebacker battles – players who could produce substantial numbers while also being available late on draft day?

And who are the discount defensive backs – late fliers in the secondary who will out-perform their modest asking prices?

About Gary Davenport

A member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and Pro Football Writers of America who resides in Columbus, Ohio, Gary has been featured on a number of fantasy websites and in nationally circulated publications.
These publications include the USA Today Fantasy Football Preview and the magazines distributed by Fantasy Sports Publications Inc., for whom Gary is a both a contributing author and associate editor.
Gary is a seven-time FSWA Award finalist and two-time winner who was named the organization's Fantasy Football Writer of the Year for 2017.
Gary also appears regularly on Sirius XM Radio (including live from Radio Row at Super Bowl XLIX) and over-the-air stations across the country.
Gary was one of the co-founders of, and Head Writer at, Fantasy Football Oasis before joining Fantasy Sharks as an IDP Senior Staff Writer in 2011.
He knows football. Or so he's heard.